The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
It is known in the art that an intercom comprises a door or gate intercom apparatus and a residential master station. Typically, an intercom apparatus is mounted on a position proximate the entrance (e.g., door) of a building and comprises a camera and a telephone set both electrically connected to an external power source such that power can be fed from the power source to the components of the door intercom apparatus. An electrical wiring is interconnected the door intercom apparatus and the residential master station inside the house of the building.
In many instances, a residential master station comprises a picture monitor and a microphone and speaker unit. In response to a visitor pressing a call button of the door intercom apparatus, the visitor can talk with a resident by means of the telephone set. Also, the resident can see the visitor from the screen of the picture monitor and talk with the visitor by means of the microphone and speaker unit. The resident then may press a push button of the residential master station to enable an electric lock on the door to open for allowing the visitor to come in after confirming the identification of the visitor.
It is also known in the art that in the field of Light Emitting Diode (LED) light bulbs, there exists a need to expand their usefulness. LED light bulbs are manufactured in most any style lamp to match older incandescent bulbs, and even newer halogen, florescent, etc. type bulbs, to give illumination. These devices are useful and use just a fraction of energy to operate them over prior art lighting technologies. Most LED lamps are produced using 120 VAC Line power (220/230 VAC depending where in the world they are marketed) as the supply voltage, to provide and easy and convenient direct replacement, and are found more and more homes, offices and industry.
Similarly, there are intercom devices and systems, manufactured for homes, etc., provide a communications link between areas within said homes; these systems consist of both hard-wired and radio frequency (RF) linked devices. One would either run wires between various points within a structure and have mounted in locations on a wall, or, place conventional (radio-linked) devices, such a phone looking apparatus, on various pieces of furniture around the structure. To communicate, one would go to a location within the room, etc., press a button and make an announcement that was transmitted to other units in the system in other rooms.
While it is obvious that the above conventional LED lighting bulbs and conventional intercom devices offer tremendous acceptance around the world as useful devices, there is no prior art that combines the two fields; lighting and communications to comprise a unique operating system. Further, there is no convenient monitoring base station or central control for typical homes and buildings. And finally, the conventional LED light bulb must be controlled ON/OFF or DIM via wall switches most commonly, and more unusual, via a ‘smart phone’ application, designed to control lighting.
Having a light bulb that is responsive to voice commands and incorporates an intercom, all hands-free, would greatly reduce or eliminate the problems with independent devices. Such an improved new device would be configured to replace any conventional light bulb in table lamps, floor lamp, recessed ceiling fixtures, furniture lamps, track lighting, plug-in nightlights, etc., and include a rechargeable battery. It would operate as usual with respect to lighting, but, be responsive to voice commands such as; ON, OFF, DIM, BRIGHT, PRESET, NIGHT and EMERGENCY; when AC Line power is provided, the light will illuminate. Further the AC Line power will keep the rechargeable battery at full charge. When the AC Line is OFF (not available), the battery will keep alive necessary circuitry for emergency lighting and the intercom communications.
An improved system would also include a ‘programing’ of the vocabulary, comprising the speech voice recognition library that can be a learning process means. For example, someone who has a speech impediment, accent or any kind of non-normal speech that would make the voice command difficult to ascertain by the device, said speech unique to the systems owner can be achieved by venture of said learning process. That is, the owner would ‘pronounce each voice command’, and such, be record to memory of its particular ‘learned’ articulation. All network devices would share the learned vocabulary. The result is that each network system now can fully understand so-called standard ‘canned’ voice command (that was part of the manufacturing process), and, the learned unique speech inflection of the same commands (representation of the commands); generated from the owner of the system.
In the case of a low battery situation, for example in a room that is rarely used like a guest bedroom and the device VAC Line power was not available (as in the case if the wall-switch was in the OFF position; normally the wall switch would be left in the ON position and commanded to OFF, when desired), the device would ‘chirp’ if the battery gets too low. In such a case, to charge the battery, the user of the present invention would simple turn the lamp or fixture to ON (providing VAC Line power) for a short period of time. This would sufficiently re-charge the battery and chirping would immediately stop.
Voice activated command control of the lighting function affords great convenience to the user. By simply leaving the wall-switch or lamp on/off switch, in the ON position at all times (or eliminating it altogether), the lighting and intercom can be controlled via voice commands to a whole selection of helpful functions. The unit can be preset to modes such as AUTO; offering illumination by one simply walking into an area, and having it turn off again when leaving. Or, TIMER; turning the fixture on and off at arbitrary times at pre-set levels of intensity (within a predetermined time range) making it look like occupants are home. Further the lamp accepts several other commands to temporally changing settings simply by requesting such change verbally. Such commands as to DIM, or to BRIGHT, to turn OFF or turn ON; until the next ‘mode’ schedule or event occurs. When coupled with the base-station/control-center, the convenience is further achieved by controlling the whole house using voice commands.
Such convenience as going to bed with all the usual lights on, and then from the convenience of the master bedroom, commanding the base-station control-center verbally, to enter NIGHT-MODE or EMERGENCY lighting (especially in a battery mode of operation of just 20% illumination capacity to save battery energy). Such commands could turn off any living illumination throughout the home network while turning on any desired ‘security’ type lighting as was predetermined when setting-up the mode via the optional base-station control-center. Such lighting functions are too impractical by an application on a smart phone alone (smart phone batteries frequently go dead or the phone goes missing, misplaced, etc.), but, by a dedicated control-center designed specifically to manage lighting and intercom communications. The present invention utilizes a smart phone application, but it is in conjunction with the base-station control-center that is always present and giving status.
An example of the intercom communications, would be to first get the system's attention; the system is always listing for an activation word. INTERCOM ACTIVE, for example, would result with the system responding in a tone burst (through the speaker) of ‘BING’ indicating a broadcast mode is being initiated by a first user. Followed by an opportunity of a system wide broadcasting of the user's verbalizations. If there is no verbalization heard within five seconds, the system would automatically exit the broadcast mode with a ‘BONG’, i.e., no longer listening.
The two-tone bursts (BING & BONG) are distinct tonal sounds that clearly indicate being active, for the case of BING, and, inactive for the case of BONG. That is, BING ending with a ‘high’ tone note, and, BONG ending with a ‘low’ tonal note. Obviously, any such tones would suffice but for clarity of this presentation BING & BONG will be used to indicate actively engaged and disengage respectively. Once a second user's responds to the initiated verbalization is heard by the intercom system, a two-way communication is established between the first and second units only. That is, all other units in the system that are not part of the conversation established by the first and second users. The intercom feature of the system has other routines and features as well.
The present patent provides convenient and easy installation of an intercom system, throughout a structure by simply replacing a lighting lamp/bulb in each desired room; to affect a more efficient means to both illuminate the rooms and have hand-free communications; all in one direct replaceable package, configured to any conventional light bulb ‘style’ or of any technology (incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, etc.). A home or building could have as many of these improved light/intercom lamps as there are fixtures, creating a system network of communication signaling devices via short-range radio frequency transceivers; greatly improving the convenience and security of the home and the lives of the occupants.
And with great importance, a base-station control-center, meant to be located in the master bedroom and other centrally located arias such a kitchen or family room or the cross-roads of activity, would read these transmitted signals via coded ID identification and display their exact status and locations. Importantly the base-station control-center, combined with a network of LED lamp lighting/intercom devices, all affording the convenience of verbal voice commands to control and display, both light living environment, and intercom communication, anywhere in the structure.
Prior to the filing of this application, the subject inventors conducted a patentability investigation in the field light bulbs, LED lighting, and intercom related systems. The following patents were uncovered in the search.
InventorReg. No.DateMcMillenUS 2008/0198583 A1Aug. 21, 2008Bradley, et al.US 2009/0237260 A1Sep. 24, 2009ChanUS 2014/0042909 A1Feb. 13, 2014Filipovic, et al.US2015/0259078 A1Sep. 17, 2015Filipovic, et al.US2016/0270148 A1Sep. 15, 2016Typrin, et al.U.S. Pat. No. 9,641,954May 2, 2017
McMillen—U.S. patent application, 2008/0198583 A1 is a multi-purpose lamp cylindrical lamp housing for ceiling instillations, having a plurality of components including a loudspeaker, detectors, heat, sound, noxious gas, alarms, video cam and intercom. The intercom for production music; the video camera for capture video of those walking below; the loudspeaker can produce music, voice, alarm sounds; the detectors for detecting and a lamp for illumination.
Bradley, et al.—U.S. patent application, 2009/0237260 A1 having a base containing a threaded female socket similar to a standard light bulb, and, a corresponding male threaded connector. The system thus is able to be electrically connected to, as well as physically mounted to, by simply screwing the male threaded connector into the female threaded socket; making the device serviced as easily as changing a light bulb.
Chan—U.S. patent application, US 2014/0042909 A1 is an energy-saving LED illumination device having a drive control unit placed on a detachable and replaceable voice control module, and electrically connected to a voice sensing unit to receive the signal and emit a driving signal, thereby turning on or turning off the light source.
Filipovic, et al.—U.S. patent application, 2015/0259078 A1 is a Handy Base Station connecting a lamp socket with LED's for lighting, and, a wireless communication means combined to communicate with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV); such lighting and communicating with UAV's located on a pole, such as a utility pole, for recharging the UAV's batteries and guiding the UAV in flight.
Filipovic, et al.—U.S. patent application, 2015/0270148 A1 is a furtherance Handy Base Station connecting a lamp socket with LED's for lighting, and, a wireless communication means combined to communicate with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV); such lighting and communicating with UAV's located on a pole, such as a utility pole, for recharging the UAV's batteries and guiding the UAV in flight.
Typrin, et al.—U.S. Pat. No., 9,641,954 is a device that includes a microphone and a speaker and that may capture audio uttered by a user. The device, or another device, may then perform a particular operation in response to the captured audio. A user's cell phone number may be associated with the device. When an incoming call is directed to the user's cell phone, the device may generate a notification. The user may utter a command that causes the device to establish an audio connection with a cellular carrier network, thereby facilitating the phone conversation while bypassing the cell phone. Similarly, a user may make an outgoing call associated with the user's cell phone. The outgoing call is facilitated through an audio connection between the device and the cellular carrier network, bypassing the cell phone.
None of the above approaches in the prior art discloses a means for integrating a LED lighting means with intercom communication means within a single bulb ‘housing’ envelope. Also, none of the listed prior art can or will directly replace a conventional sized or shaped light bulb, configured to any style or type; having wireless system networking, with voice recognition commands and controls; suitable for any light/lamp fixture sitting on the floor, on a table, mounting on a wall, or in or on a ceiling.
They all present housings of some structure that ‘fit’ between a lighting fixture and a conventional light bulb, or, inserted into a ceiling. And as such, thus making it impossible to be installed practicably into common lighting possibilities in general homes or buildings. While some of the prior art does have LED's for lighting in some cases, they do not signal with one-another in a network to create communication between units; to record messages; to play-back messages and to connect to out-of-network (OON) communications such as line-line and/or cellular phones, WiFi or LAN, accessible via a secure personal identification ID code (PIN).
The optional base-station control center, ties all system units (lamp/intercom apparatuses) together, affording immediate and timely updated status of the whole network. And lastly, with respect to the LED light bulb illumination voice command features, the present invention provides convenient ‘VOICE COMMAND’ control of lighting in several modes (AUTO, TIMER, NIGHT, EMERGENCY, TEST, etc.) of operation including temporary changes simply by verbally commanding a desired light effect; such as DIM, BRIGHT, ON, OFF, PRESET, etc. While the intercom voice command features include; INTERCOM ACTIVE, INTERCOM RECORD, INTERCOM PLAY-MESSAGE, etc.